I have a 1999 Expedition 5.4 4X4 with a blinking airbag light. It blinks a 3-2. I have read many threads that say this is a bad clockspring. The dealer says it will be $196 to repair clockspring but a 3-2 that doesn't nessesarily mean it has a bad clockspring. He wants another $196 to do a electrical diagnostic. He says the blinking 3-2 gets you in the general vacinityof the problem but there is more that will determine the real problem. Any opinions on this ?
I wonder if I should just chance it and have them do the clockspring without the diagnostic. How accurate is the blinking codes ?

Thanks
xtremford

 

I had a 94 F-150 and the same thing happend. In addition though the cruise did not work, and the horn stopped after time. A clock spring is not hard to replace if you have some knowledge and a steering wheel puller. It is just below the steering wheel and has a couple wire plugs attached. I think I paid 60-70 bucks for mine and did it myself. Hope this helps

 

Thats cool 60 - 70 bucks is much better. The big question is, is it really the clock spring. My horn and cruise work fine. I changed the airbag fuse just to be sure. I reset the computer to be sure it just wasn't an old code and still 3-2. I actually found a different dealer that quoted me 105.00 to do the whole thing, without any electrical diagnostics though. But, i don't think I need it for that price. Thanks for the note. How do you tell if your computer has really been reset. I disconnected the neg side of battery for 45 minutes. But when I put it back, I didn't even loose my radio settings. Do you think the computer reset ?

T

 

I believe that even though you disconnect the battery, you may need the codes cleared out of the computer. I might be crazy though!! 105 for the clock spring sounds like a good deal, but are they going to charge do diagnose the problem for a couple hundred? Let me know if that is the problem, never heard of a clock spring until a few months ago. Good luck

 

I'm almost positive that airbag code 32 is "OCS fault". Which is Occupant Classification Sensor. It's the sensor in your passenger seat that determines wether or not to fire the passenger airbag in the event of a frontal crash.

I'll double check this tomorrow at work, but either way you should take it to the dealer and have it fixed.

 

Sorry I didn't read all the replies before I replied myself.

I know for sure that code 32 is not related to the driver airbag and therefore eliminates the possibility of a faulty clock spring. Also, disconnecting the battery can clear PCM (engine computer) codes, but not RCM (Restraints Control Module) codes. The RCM has it's own memory and can only cleared by the Ford Rotunda NGS diagnostic tool.

In your case you don't need the code cleared. The RCM stores two types of data. The first is only recorded if one of your airbags or pyro buckles fires. This is the type that can only be cleared with a scan tool. The second type is trouble codes (Ex: code 32). These are cleared each time you turn the key off. Each time you turn the key back on the system is rechecked during the 4 seconds that your airbag light in the guage cluster is illuminated. If the light came on then you have a problem.

I don't understand why people always try to disconnect their battery when they get some sort of trouble light in their vehicle. If the light came on it means there is a problem. Sometimes you need to disconnect the battery after you have fixed the problem to get rid of the light, but not before. If it came on once it's going to come on again... guaranteed.

Isn't your truck under warranty? Even if it isn't I wouldn't have this problem taken care of anywhere else but the dealership. When it comes to airbags you want things done right.

 

Thanks to all for your comments. Heading for the dealer at 7:30 am. It makes sense that its not the Clock Spring because the horn and cruise work fine. But so many threads suggested clock spring. Looks like they will have to do a diagnostic. I wonder what a sensor will cost to change. I'll come back and let you all know the outcome...

Thanks for the notes
T

 

Greetings !
The dealer says its my Clock Spring ! How about that. They either lied to me about the original cost or I mis understood. The cost was 105 diagnostics only. Diagnostics indicated clock spring so total cost to replace was 310.00.
Oh, well its there do it..

Thanks